Fish tape reel



Nov. 17, 1959 .1. KUZARA 2,913,222

FISH TAPE REEL Filed June 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H INVENTOR.

JOSEPH KUZARA ATTO NEYS Nov. 17, 1959 J. KuzARA 2,913,222d

FISH TAPE REEL Filed June 9, 1955 l 2 sheets-sheet z l INVENToR. JOSEPH KuzARA AT RNEYS United States Patent 2,913,222 'g -FISH TAPE REEL Joseph Kuzara, Billings, Mont. Application June 9, 195s, serial No. 514,350

s claims. (c1. zat-134.3) i

The present invention is directed to improvements in reels of the type employed for feeding or storing a fish tape. The latter is a term applied to the relatively stijf steel ribbon of the type employed byelectricians to feed conductors through a conduit in making electrical installations of varioustypes.

The present invention provides a simplified, but highly effective sh tape reel with means'for feeding the tape smoothly under ordinary conditions of tape travel, and also provides means for force feeding the tape if the tape should encounter some small impediment in its travel through the conduit. AllY these functions are achieved widths-and thicknesses ofv the`coiled tape.

in a compact, readily portable, easily manufactured unit, y

as will hereinafter appear more fully.'l

An object of the present invention is kto provide an improved iish tape reel assembly with improved means for playing out the tape.`

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved fish tape reel of compact construction which isfeasy to use, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

`Still another object of 'the invention is to .provide an improved brake assembly in association with'an improved fish, tape reel,"the brake functioning to hold,the' tape securely in the event 'that additional'pressure istoA` be put on the tape in passing it through the conduit.

These and other objects of the invention as well as additional novel features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the attached sheets of drawings which, by way of preferred embodiment only, illustrate the improvements of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in elevation of the fish tape reel assembly according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary isometric view, partially in cross-section, illustrating the manner in which the coil of fish tape is received within the reel;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating more particularly the brake assembly used in conjunction with the reel;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Figure ,5; and

Figure 7 is a view in elevation illustrating one manner in which the fish tape reel of the present invention may be employed in conjunction with the feeding of a sh tape through a conduit.

As shown in the drawings:

In Figure l, reference numeral 10 indicates generally the improved fish tape reel assembly including a pair of cooperating channel members 11 and 12 Whose configuration is best illustrated in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3. As best seen in that View, the channel members 11 and 12 are generally U-shaped in crosssection and are received in such a manner that the top 26 ofPa "material suchV as;,.cast'iron-or v'the like.

ICC.y

channel member 12 is'inverted'to form a closure for the bottom channel member 11, thereby providing an enclosure 13 rfor receiving the ish tape. Means may also be provided to facilitate relative rotative movement between the channel member 11 and thechannel member 12, these m'eanspreferably taking the form of a plurality of spaced ball bearings 14 which are received within suitable 'races provided in the two confronting portions of the channel members in which the balls 14. are received.

As best illustrated in lFigure 4, a coil of fish tape 16 is received withinv the enclosure 13, the dimensions of the enclosure being sucient to accommodate several An outlet for the tape is provided in the fish tape reel assembly by providing a peripheral slot 17 in the upper channel member 12. One end of the tape may then be continstruction. For thispurpose, the assembly shown in the drawings is provided with a hand operable brake including a generally circular, hollow brake housing 21 which is pivotally supported to the channel member 12 between a pair of ears22 and 23 extending from the channel member'12, and a pin 24 which extends through the ears 22 and 23 and provides a pivotal connection with the brake housing 21. l 1 i Y Disposed within the-brake'housing 21 is a -brake'shoe The brake shoe 26 is loosely rcceived;witl1in the brake housing 21,; so that the 1tap e1 6 vmaybe readily payedput under Ynormal circumstances, When, however, it ispe- `vsiredjto apply-ia, pressurey to the tape `16.3as itfleaves the reel assemblies, an operating handle 27 `is provided, the latter being pivoted by means of a pin 28 between a pair of opposed ears 29 on the brake housing 21. The operating handle 27 at one end is formed with an eccentric 31 which is received through a slot 32 formed in the brake housing 21. It will be seen from Figure 5 that downward pressure exerted on the operating handle 27 is effective to cause the eccentric 31 to cam the brake shoe 26 into tight engagement with the tape 16 as the latter passes to the brake housing 21. It is a simple matter to release the brake, merely lby lifting the operating handle 27 upward, thereby removing the braking pressure of the shoe 26 against the tape 16.

For convenience in storing the tape reel, the reel may be provided with a pair of folding arms 33 and 34 which are connected by a hinge connection 36 and extend between the brakek housing 21 and the upper channel member 12. When the reel assembly is not in use, it is a simple matter to fold the arms 33 and 34 inwardly as illustrated in Figure 5, and fold the brake housing 21 sub` stantially ush against the surface of the tape reel housing.

One manner of employing the fish tape reel assembly of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings. In that drawing, there is illustrated an outlet box 38 in which is received a conduit 39.v In this form of invention, the outlet end of the brake housing 21 is provided with a threaded connector 41 which secures the outlet end of the brake housing 21 with a telescoping tube 42. The latter has a threaded connector 43 which is received in threaded engagement with the lend of the conduit 39. With this type of an arrangement, the operator isvassured that the tape 16 will be received properly within the conduit 39, and it is merely necessary for hand while rotating the inner channel member 11 in the other hand to effect continuous reeling in of the tapefrom the conduit 39.

While the drawings illustrate' a preferredembodiment of the invention, it twill be evidentthat various modifications can be made to the specific structure shown without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fish tape reel comprising first -and second overlapping annular channel members cooperating to define yan enclosure having a peripherally disposed outlet, a sh tape coiledin said enclosure andwithdrawable through said outlet, each of said channel members having a U- shaped cross-section, vsaid t rst channel member being wide enough to fit over the outside of said second channel member and being received-thereon in inverted position to form a closure for said second channel member to define said enclosure for receiving said lish tape, a rst vball bearing race on the inner surface of said first channel member and a second ball bearing race on the outer surface of said second channel member in opposed relationship to said irst ball vbearing race, and a plurality of ball bearings received between said races to facilitate relative rotation of said iirst and second channel members with respect to each other.

2. A fish tape reel comprising rst and second overlapping annular channel members cooperating .to deline an enclosure having a peripherally disposed outlet, a lish lchannel member and a' second ball bearing race on the outer surface of said second channel member in opposed relationship to said first ball bearing race, -a plurality of 4 ball bearings receivedbetween said races to facilitate relative rotation of said rst and second channel members with respect to each other, a brake housing secured to one of said channel members and having an opening arranged to receive a fish tape payed out through said outlet, and hand operated brake means on said brake housing arranged to apply a holding prmsure against said tape as it passes through said brake housing.

3. A fish tape reel comprising first and second annular overlapping channel members cooperating to dene an enclosure having a peripherally disposed outlet, a fish tape coiled in said enclosure and withdrawable through said outlet, each of said members having a U-shaped cross-sectiom, said first channel member being wide enough to fit over the outside of said second channel member and being received thereon in inverted position to form a closure for said second channel member to define said enclosure for receiving said fish tape, a first ball bearing race on the inner surface of said first channel member and a second ball bearing race on the outer surface of said second channel member in opposed relationship to said first ball bearingrace, a plurality of ball bearings received between said races to facilitate relative rotation of said first and second channel members with respect to each other, a brake housing pivotally secured to said first channel member and having an opening arranged to receive said fish tape payed out through said outlet, a collapsible locking hinge means supporting said housing in an extended operating position and enabling the lhousing to be moved to av storage position wherein it liesin close proximity to said first channel member, and hand operated brake means on said brake housing arranged to apply a holding pressure against said tape as it passes through said brake housing.

v References Cited in the-file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,2150

Waldschmidt Dec. 4, 1956 282,010, Putnam July 24, .1883 0 l l1,815,433 i Dunagan July 21, 1931 1,956,806 Mitzen ;'May l, 1934 2,712,908 Kaminski July 12, 1955 

